Galway Airport
Encyclopedia
Galway Airport is located at Carnmore
, 4 NM north of Galway
City, County Galway
, Ireland
and is managed by Corrib Airport Limited.
On 31 October 2011 the airport's sole remaining operator Aer Arann
ceased commercial operations at the airport. Therefore there are no scheduled services available from the facility at this time.
a landing ground was built for the RFC at nearby Oranmore. It was later used by Aer Arann, a local flying club and private operators. However it remained a grass strip and was virtually unusable in Winter. Ernest Steiner, a German businessman built his own strip opposite his factory at Carnmore. Aer Arann moved in also and commenced operations from there in 1974.
The runway
was extended to 1200 metres and completed on the 2nd of March 1987. Although it could accommodate larger aircraft it remained unsuitable for jet airliners and continues to be entirely served by regional turboprop aircraft such as the ATR-42. The first jet arrived at the airport on March 30 from Ohio
USA. It was a 12 seater Gulf-Stream II
and many more small business jets used the airport
. A terminal
and runway lighting was completed by June of that year.
In January 1988 Aer Lingus
re-introduced the Dublin route, in March Ryanair
launched a new route to London Luton and later re-routed it to Stansted. The two airlines went into a business war, Ryanair
offering cheap flights direct to London and Aer Lingus to Heathrow, Amsterdam and Paris on selected days via Dublin. In 1991 due to business restructuring Ryanair withdrew their London service and Aer Lingus were soon to follow.
In 1994 Aer Arann
began the Dublin route supported by the state funded Public Service Obligation scheme. The route operated 3 times daily until state funding was withdrawn in 2011 and the airline ceased services on the route. In September 2001 they launched a service to London Luton and the load factor by 2003 was at 73%. The one millionth passenger passed through the airport in April 2002. The airport was gaining popularity and in 2003 Aer Arann
launched two more routes to Manchester
and Edinburgh
with two further routes to Birmingham
and Lorient
launched in 2004.
By 2007 Galway was officially the fastest growing airport
in Ireland
, fast exceeding international airports with passenger growth at 63% per annum at that time. 16 destinations were served directly, Bristol
, Cardiff
, Cork
, Dublin, Edinburgh
, Leeds Bradford, London Luton, Lorient
, Manchester
, Newcastle
, Belfast City, Birmingham
, Southampton
, Bordeaux
, Faro
and Malaga
. That year saw a record 309,000 passengers use the airport. The 2 millionth passenger also passed through that year. Aer Arann added a sservice to Amsterdam
in 2008 which operated via Waterford Airport
but was discontinued after a short period. In 2010 Manx2
added two services - Belfast International and Cork
. These services were withdrawn in 2011.
Since 2008 numbers and routes have dropped considerably with only Aer Arann routes to Luton, Lorient
(seasonal), Manchester
and Edinburgh
remaining. In March 2011, Aer Arann launched twice daily fllghts to London Southend Airport
(Direct four days a week, and via Waterford Airport
three days a week).
An additional "Development Fee" of €10 is charged to all departing passengers aged 12 years and over.
Manx2 cancelled its seasonal summer service to Belfast City in April 2011.
On 12th October 2011 Aer Arann
announced that it was to suspend its services from Galway for the winter season, commencing on 1st of November. This will mean that there are no scheduled services from Galway. Airport Management have stated that the airport will remain open. Galway is the second Irish airport after Sligo Airport
to have its scheduled services suspended in 2011.
6.3 million in capital grant money for Galway Airport. In 2008 this allocation was reduced by 50-60% as a result of national budget cutbacks.
In June 2011 the Government announced that funding for Galway Airport will cease by December 2011. The airport will close on 31 December if no investor can be found. Currently Galway Airport requires €1.2 million to meet operating costs per year. The Government has stated that the decision was taken to consolidate the four other regional airports which will receive state funding for 2012.
with Galway Flying Club which provides fixed-wing training and Executive Helicopters which provide helicopter charter and training.
aircraft or small executive jets. As of 2011, the only regional airliner
Aer Arann uses ATR 42/72 turboprops.
, with three daily buses serving the airport. Taxis are available outside the terminal
building.
Carnmore
Carnmore is located at the southern end of the parish of Claregalway, approximately east of Galway city in County Galway, Ireland. Carnmore lies within the Gaeltacht although the vast majority of residents there use English as their first language...
, 4 NM north of Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
City, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and is managed by Corrib Airport Limited.
On 31 October 2011 the airport's sole remaining operator Aer Arann
Aer Arann
Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline...
ceased commercial operations at the airport. Therefore there are no scheduled services available from the facility at this time.
History
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
a landing ground was built for the RFC at nearby Oranmore. It was later used by Aer Arann, a local flying club and private operators. However it remained a grass strip and was virtually unusable in Winter. Ernest Steiner, a German businessman built his own strip opposite his factory at Carnmore. Aer Arann moved in also and commenced operations from there in 1974.
The runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
was extended to 1200 metres and completed on the 2nd of March 1987. Although it could accommodate larger aircraft it remained unsuitable for jet airliners and continues to be entirely served by regional turboprop aircraft such as the ATR-42. The first jet arrived at the airport on March 30 from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
USA. It was a 12 seater Gulf-Stream II
Grumman Gulfstream II
The Gulfstream II is an American twin engine business jet designed and built by Grumman and then in succession, Grumman American and finally Gulfstream American. Its Grumman model number is G-1159 and its US military designation is C-11 Gulfstream II. It has been succeeded by the Gulfstream III...
and many more small business jets used the airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
. A terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
and runway lighting was completed by June of that year.
In January 1988 Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus Group Plc is the flag carrier of Ireland. It operates a fleet of Airbus aircraft serving Europe and North America. It is Ireland's oldest extant airline, and its second largest after low-cost rival Ryanair...
re-introduced the Dublin route, in March Ryanair
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....
launched a new route to London Luton and later re-routed it to Stansted. The two airlines went into a business war, Ryanair
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....
offering cheap flights direct to London and Aer Lingus to Heathrow, Amsterdam and Paris on selected days via Dublin. In 1991 due to business restructuring Ryanair withdrew their London service and Aer Lingus were soon to follow.
In 1994 Aer Arann
Aer Arann
Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline...
began the Dublin route supported by the state funded Public Service Obligation scheme. The route operated 3 times daily until state funding was withdrawn in 2011 and the airline ceased services on the route. In September 2001 they launched a service to London Luton and the load factor by 2003 was at 73%. The one millionth passenger passed through the airport in April 2002. The airport was gaining popularity and in 2003 Aer Arann
Aer Arann
Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline...
launched two more routes to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
with two further routes to Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and Lorient
Lorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
launched in 2004.
By 2007 Galway was officially the fastest growing airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, fast exceeding international airports with passenger growth at 63% per annum at that time. 16 destinations were served directly, Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Dublin, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Leeds Bradford, London Luton, Lorient
Lorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, Belfast City, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, Faro
Faro, Portugal
Faro is the southernmost city in Portugal. It is located in the Faro Municipality in southern Portugal. The city proper has 41,934 inhabitants and the entire municipality has 58,305. It is the seat of the Faro District and capital of the Algarve region...
and Malaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
. That year saw a record 309,000 passengers use the airport. The 2 millionth passenger also passed through that year. Aer Arann added a sservice to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 2008 which operated via Waterford Airport
Waterford Airport
Waterford Airport , is south-east of Waterford. It is in Killowen near Waterford City serving the south-east of Ireland. The airport is operated by Waterford Regional Airport Plc. In 2009 112,000 passengers passed through the airport...
but was discontinued after a short period. In 2010 Manx2
Manx2
Manx2 Limited is a virtual commuter airline, with its head office in Hangar 9, Isle of Man Airport in Ballasalla, Malew, Isle of Man. It sells flights and services from several airports in the UK with bases in Belfast City, Blackpool, Cardiff and Isle of Man...
added two services - Belfast International and Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
. These services were withdrawn in 2011.
Since 2008 numbers and routes have dropped considerably with only Aer Arann routes to Luton, Lorient
Lorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
(seasonal), Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
remaining. In March 2011, Aer Arann launched twice daily fllghts to London Southend Airport
London Southend Airport
London Southend Airport or Southend Airport is a regional airport in the district of Rochford within Essex, England.During the 1960s, Southend was the third-busiest airport in the United Kingdom. It remained London's third-busiest airport in terms of passengers handled until the end of the 1970s,...
(Direct four days a week, and via Waterford Airport
Waterford Airport
Waterford Airport , is south-east of Waterford. It is in Killowen near Waterford City serving the south-east of Ireland. The airport is operated by Waterford Regional Airport Plc. In 2009 112,000 passengers passed through the airport...
three days a week).
An additional "Development Fee" of €10 is charged to all departing passengers aged 12 years and over.
Manx2 cancelled its seasonal summer service to Belfast City in April 2011.
On 12th October 2011 Aer Arann
Aer Arann
Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline...
announced that it was to suspend its services from Galway for the winter season, commencing on 1st of November. This will mean that there are no scheduled services from Galway. Airport Management have stated that the airport will remain open. Galway is the second Irish airport after Sligo Airport
Sligo Airport
Sligo Airport is located in Strandhill, County Sligo, west of Sligo in Ireland. The airport is a small regional airport and has no scheduled routes.-Introduction:...
to have its scheduled services suspended in 2011.
Government assistance
On 21 February 2007, the Government of Ireland announced that it was providing €Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
6.3 million in capital grant money for Galway Airport. In 2008 this allocation was reduced by 50-60% as a result of national budget cutbacks.
In June 2011 the Government announced that funding for Galway Airport will cease by December 2011. The airport will close on 31 December if no investor can be found. Currently Galway Airport requires €1.2 million to meet operating costs per year. The Government has stated that the decision was taken to consolidate the four other regional airports which will receive state funding for 2012.
General aviation
The airport caters to general aviationGeneral aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
with Galway Flying Club which provides fixed-wing training and Executive Helicopters which provide helicopter charter and training.
Runway length
At 1289 m (4230 ft), the runway is too short to handle most jet airliners and so scheduled services are restricted to turbopropTurboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
aircraft or small executive jets. As of 2011, the only regional airliner
Regional airliner
A regional airliner or a feederliner is a small airliner designed to fly up to 100 passengers on short-haul flights, usually feeding larger carriers' hubs from small markets. This class of airliners are typically flown by the regional airlines that are either contracted by or subsidiaries of the...
Aer Arann uses ATR 42/72 turboprops.
Ground transportation
The airport is located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) by road from Galway city centre. There is minimal public transportPublic transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
, with three daily buses serving the airport. Taxis are available outside the terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
building.
Statistics
Passenger in Thousands| Year | Passengers |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 90,000 |
| 2002 | 106,000 |
| 2003 | 138,000 |
| 2004 | 230,106 |
| 2005 | 252,897 |
| 2006 | 248,972 |
| 2007 | 309,302 |
| 2008 | 266,897 |
| 2009 | 194,158 |
| 2010 | 160,000 |
Busiest international routes from Galway
Figures for 2009 and 2010| Rank | Origin | 2009 | 2010 | Carrier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London Luton Airport London Luton Airport London Luton Airport is an international airport located east of the town centre in the Borough of Luton in Bedfordshire, England and is north of Central London. The airport is from Junction 10a of the M1 motorway... , England, United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
69,299 | 58,464 | Aer Arann Aer Arann Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline... |
| 2 | Manchester Airport, England, United Kingdom | 39,393 | 25,025 | Aer Arann Aer Arann Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline... |
| 3 | Edinburgh International Airport, Scotland, United Kingdom | 19,676 | 16,640 | Aer Arann Aer Arann Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline... |
| 4 |  Early Modern France Lorient South Brittany AirportLorient South Brittany Airport Lorient South Brittany Airport or Aéroport de Lorient Bretagne Sud , also known as Lorient-Lann-Bihoué Airport, is the airport serving the city of Lorient... , France |
2,232 | 2,325 | Aer Arann Aer Arann Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline... |
| Rank | Airport | Airline | Passengers | % Change 2010 / 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London Airports - Luton & Southend London Southend Airport London Southend Airport or Southend Airport is a regional airport in the district of Rochford within Essex, England.During the 1960s, Southend was the third-busiest airport in the United Kingdom. It remained London's third-busiest airport in terms of passengers handled until the end of the 1970s,... |
 Republic of Ireland Aer ArannAer Arann Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline... |
25,183 | 29 |
| 2 | Manchester Airport | Republic of Ireland Aer Arann Aer Arann Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline... |
12,708 | 23 |
| 3 | Edinburgh Airport Edinburgh Airport Edinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2010, handling just under 8.6 million passengers in that year. It was also the sixth busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements... |
Republic of Ireland Aer Arann Aer Arann Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline... |
7,963 | 26 |
| 4 | Lorient South Brittany Airport Lorient South Brittany Airport Lorient South Brittany Airport or Aéroport de Lorient Bretagne Sud , also known as Lorient-Lann-Bihoué Airport, is the airport serving the city of Lorient... |
Republic of Ireland Aer Arann Aer Arann Aer Arann is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. Aer Arann operates scheduled services from Ireland and the Isle of Man to destinations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France, with a fleet of 18 aircraft. Aer Arann has expanded from a single aircraft to Ireland's third largest airline... |
40 | 97 |